Drop of Fire
by Alithe Cambre
Summary: A collection of drabbles- a story of 'What Ifs' centered around General Iroh II and Avatar Korra. Full summary inside.
1. The Kiss

**Drop of Fire**

**Synopsis: What if Mako had decided to stay with Asami? What if General Iroh II had come after Korra to comfort her on the cliffs? How would life pan out? And could there be love between the grandson of the Fire Lord and the current Avatar?**

**AN: I intend this to be a little fanfic, no more than 1,500 words per chapter. We'll see how it goes. But I am continuing "Blue Painted Scars" as planned, I just had this little plot bunny after re-watching "A: TLA - The Legend of Korra"**

**Drabble One: The Kiss**

Korra was tired. She was tired of fighting and of life. She was tired of the pitying looks she received from everyone when Master Katara could not heal her. Bolin had a point, she supposed. At least she still had airbending. But it wasn't the same. It felt as if she had let all her past lives down by losing her bending. Noatak and Tarrlok had gotten away and she had ultimately failed her mission besides losing her bending. Everything just piled up and added to the stress.

Mako had told her that he was going to stay with Asami and Korra was fine with that, mostly. She had slowly gotten used to the non-bender and admired her strength and will to do what is right. Tenzin, Pema, Katara, Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, Mako, Bolin, Asami, Tonraq, Senna, Lin, and Iroh were all looking at her as if she was a wounded, wild animal- like she would explode at any little comment. And Korra hated it. So she ran.

The familiar scenery flew by in a blur, partially due to her speed, partially due to the tears gathering in her eyes. She couldn't bend anything but air. She couldn't be the Avatar anymore. And if she wasn't the Avatar… who was she? '_Nobody,'_ she answered herself mentally. Nothing was okay anymore. Korra swung her legs over the edge of the cliff and sighed, tears running down her face. One dripped off her cheek and fell into the ocean below. She heard footsteps approaching and saw the telltale yellow and orange robes of an airbender in the corner of her eye.

"Not now, Tenzin… I just want to be alone…" a soft chuckle answered her.

"But you called me here," the voice didn't belong to Tenzin and Korra turned swiftly to see the familiar grey eyes of her previous life.

"Aang," she breathed. The spirit gave her a soft smile.

"You have finally connected to your spiritual self," Korra blinked and wiped her cheek.

"How?"She stood to face him.

"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." He stated simply. Korra gasped as he touched her forehead and her heart, light flowing between them. She could suddenly feel again. Earth, Air, Fire, Water… they all surrounded her and she laughed as Aang faded with a smile. She did a cartwheel and bended a water snake around herself. She spun to see that General Iroh had followed her, intent on comforting her perhaps. She was so caught up in the moment that she didn't think; she just ran towards him and kissed him full on the mouth. His arms came around her instinctively but she pulled back swiftly, blushing and stammering.

"Oh, Tui! S-sorry, uh…" she blew out a breath and stared at her feet. Iroh recovered from his shock a bit and smiled slightly.

"It's alright; I understand…" he blushed and shifted his weight awkwardly. "Uh… you should probably go tell Tenzin and the others…" Korra brightened, grateful for the distraction.

"Oh- yes! Um… right! I think I can restore everyone's bending, too!" she stepped around the older man and hurried back to Katara's hut. Iroh followed, keeping his distance and absentmindedly touching his lips.

Korra busted into the hut in a fit of happiness. She bended some water from a bucket and twirled it around. Everyone laughed and cheered at the announcement that she had gotten her bending back. She told Tenzin that she had seen her father and he had taught her how to energybend so that she could restore everyone's bending abilities. Lin was first and they threw a great celebration that night.

Korra lay in bed, thoroughly exhausted. But as she lie in bed, thinking about her eventful day- defeating, among, losing her bending, gaining her airbending, losing Mako to Asumi, gaining her bending back, and restoring Lin's bending- the one thing her mind chose to linger on was the heat of the moment kiss that she had given the handsome general of the United Forces.


	2. The Capture

**Drop of Fire**

**Synopsis: What if Mako had decided to stay with Asami? What if General Iroh II had come after Korra to comfort her on the cliffs? How would life pan out? And could there be love between the grandson of the Fire Lord and the current Avatar?**

**Drabble Two: The Capture**

It had been nearly two weeks and the new Team Avatar were still hunting down stray equalist supporters. Korra had gone on the radio and broadcasted that she was not hunting the peaceful equalist members but the ones who insisted on arming innocent people. She stressed that she and her team were not trying to oppress the protesters, but keep the rest of the city safe. Commander Bumi had left to take care of other things after the first week and taken all the UF soldiers with him, but General Iroh himself had stayed to assist Korra.

And she didn't know how she felt about that. There was no denying that the General was attractive. He was six years older than her but it wasn't a huge age gap. And she couldn't even look at him without thinking of that day on the cliffs and how warm she had been for that second when she was wrapped in his arms. But she refused to let that distract her from her ultimate goal. Equalists were terrorizing the city, angry at their leader's defeat. Most were still in denial that Amon was actually Noatak: estranged bloodbender and delusional extremist. They tore apart bender's shops and threw bricks at their homes, causing thousands in property damage. Reinstated Chief Lin Bei Fong had taken to using her lie detecting abilities to catch the suspected law-breakers, but Korra had insisted that the protestors only serve jail time that fit their crimes, and no extra for being a known equalist.

Several non-benders confessed to becoming equalists and claimed to still believe in the cause, but chose to peacefully protest rather than terrorize innocents. Korra had agreed with this method, saying that it was their right to believe in whatever they wished, as long as no one got hurt. Most in the city agreed with this as well.

General Iroh had been helping Korra track down a particularly nasty chi-blocker, a middle-aged man named Nagi who had killed three earthbenders that had been sharing a flat in the heart of Republic City. They met up outside his suspected residence, both dressed in metalbender uniforms that Chief Bei Fong had given them when she instated them both as temporary field officers.

"Okay, so the plan is…" Iroh began but Korra cut him off.

"I take the back door, you take the front. I use airbending to subdue him and we lock him in the wagon across the street. Bolin is waiting in the driver's seat to take him to Lin and then you and I search his flat for evidence. I know, General, you've gone over it three times since we arrived!" she huffed. The General blushed.

"Sorry, I was just making sure." He smiled. "You know, sometimes you remind me of my grandfather…" she furrowed her brow.

"Who is your grandfather?" Iroh was stunned- she didn't know?

"Um… Fire Lord Zuko, actually." He rubbed the back of his neck. Korra's eyes widened.

"Wait; doesn't that make you a prince?"

"Technically, but I am not directly in line for the throne."

"Master Zuko is your grandfather?" she looked him over critically. "How did I not see this before? You look just like him, sans the scar… and the wrinkles." She teased slightly. Iroh laughed.

"I get that all the time from my mum and Master Katara." He admitted, still chuckling.

"Well, I guess it isn't a surprise I remind you of him, he did teach me how to firebend. We became very close." Korra reminisced with a soft smile. "I should go visit him…"

"Well I knew he taught you to firebend but I didn't know that you two were close. I hardly see him myself, he's very busy. But mother is nearly ready to take over the throne so he'll have some more time on his hands after the coronation."

"Anyways…" Korra looked towards the flat across the street. A light was on and she could see the outline of Nagi in the glow. "We'd better go get this guy. Before he kills again," her mood shifted into a professional one, her face grim. Iroh nodded in agreement and they crept into position. Simultaneously, the two broke down the doors of the murderer's flat. Korra used her airbending to hold his arms and legs together. The man managed to send a bolt of electricity at Iroh and it hit him on the hand. Korra's heart stopped for a second but then Iroh moved his hand in a familiar motion, guiding the electricity out of his other arms and into the wall, which caught fire. The general waved a hand and the flames were ousted. Korra chained Nagi's wrists together behind his back and took him across to the wagon, throwing him in the back.

Bolin gave her a 'thumbs up' sign and a grin through the windshield and she grinned back before trotting back across the street. She rejoined Iroh and they searched the flat in silence. They found several electrocution weapons and throwing knives. They even found a small pistol that Nagi had apparently been working with, experimenting with dried, powdered blasting jelly and spark rocks. They were horrified when they found his journals- over two years of documented thoughts, the ideas and ideals slowly spiraling into murderous madness.

After they boxed all the evidence and drove it to Lin for further examination, Iroh offered Korra a ride back to the ferry. Korra smiled and shook her head.

"I wouldn't want to trouble you… I can walk a couple miles." She insisted. Iroh rolled his eyes.

"Korra, no; it really isn't any trouble."

"No, I was going to stop and get a bite to eat anyways." She refused again.

"Well, so was I." the stubborn general insisted. "Come on, I'll take you to my favorite restaurant, it's not even two blocks from the ferry." Korra was still hesitant so Iroh pulled the polar bear- puppy dog eyes on her. "Please, Miss Avatar? Let me take you out to dinner," Korra caved, pouting was always her weak point. She sighed.

"Alright… but I am paying for myself." Iroh beamed.

"Fine, let's go celebrate another victory- one more madman off the streets and thousands more are better off." He offered her his arm which she took and he escorted her to his car with gusto. She giggled at his over exaggerated manners.

"Come on, pretty boy." She mock-whined, "I'm starving!"


End file.
